India Clinch Emphatic 88-Run Win Over Pakistan Despite Batting Wobbles in Women’s World Cup
India continued their winning streak at the 2025 ICC Women's ODI World Cup with a commanding 88-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan, despite facing early challenges with the bat. The win, played out at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, marked India’s second straight triumph in the tournament after a similar performance against Sri Lanka in the opener.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur praised her team’s resilience, especially highlighting the role of the lower order in pushing the team to a defendable total.
“To be honest, it wasn't an easy pitch to bat,” Harmanpreet said after the game. “With the rain over the last two days, there was a bit of a hold on the pitch. The key was to keep wickets in hand till the end so we could execute in the final overs.”
India looked in trouble at 203 for 7 before Richa Ghosh’s unbeaten cameo — a brisk 35 off 20 balls — helped lift the side to 247, giving the bowlers something to work with. Ghosh’s late flourish proved crucial as she anchored the final push with a mix of clean hitting and composure.
Kranti Goud Stars With the Ball
It was 22-year-old pace bowler Kranti Goud who set the tone for India’s defense. Returning to the ground where she made her ODI debut earlier this year, Goud bowled with pace and purpose, picking up 3 for 20 — including key wickets of Sadaf Shamas and Aliya Riaz inside the first ten overs — to leave Pakistan reeling.
Her performance earned her the Player of the Match award and plaudits from the captain.
“Kranti bowled really well,” Harmanpreet said. “Renuka [Singh] was helping her from the other end, and together they gave us the breakthroughs we needed.”
The spinners — Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana — built on Goud’s foundation, picking up crucial wickets as Pakistan collapsed under scoreboard pressure. With the asking rate climbing, batters resorted to high-risk shots, many of which ended in mistimed dismissals.
Fielding Woes Persist
Despite the dominant result, India’s fielding left much to be desired. Four catches went down, including three off the bat of Sidra Amin, who top-scored for Pakistan. The sloppy ground fielding raised concerns for the Indian camp, with Harmanpreet admitting it’s an area in need of immediate improvement.
“We let ourselves down on the field,” she said. “We got so many chances that we unfortunately dropped, but in the end, when you win, you feel happy.”
Eyes on South Africa and Australia
India now return home for their next two league fixtures — a clash against South Africa on October 9, followed by a high-stakes encounter with Australia on October 12, both in Visakhapatnam.
“There are a lot of areas to work on, but right now I’m happy that we won this game,” Harmanpreet said. “We want to carry this momentum. Back in India, we know the conditions well, so we’ll reassess the best combination going forward.”
With two wins in two games, India remain one of the early frontrunners in the tournament, though stiffer challenges await.